Reported by: Oahimire Omone Precious | Edited by: Oravbiere Osayomore Promise.
The Enugu State Police Command has delivered a crushing blow to a well-organised kidnapping syndicate that has terrorised communities across the state, arresting fourteen suspects and recovering a significant cache of weapons, including five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, and 310 rounds of live ammunition. The Commissioner of Police, CP Mamman Bitrus Giwa, made the disclosure on Friday, August 14, 2026, during a press briefing at the Command headquarters in Enugu, where he paraded the suspects and vowed to keep the state increasingly unconducive for criminals.
Giwa said the suspects, who were members of an organised criminal network operating from different parts of the country, were arrested on various dates in June, July and August 2026 in the Federal Capital Territory, Abuja, and Enugu, Kogi, Nasarawa, Rivers, Kwara and Taraba states. He said the arrests followed sustained human and technical intelligence-led operations, including joint operations across state lines. "The network is aided by an Enugu-based member who operates a tricycle and provides transportation for the gang members, their firearms and other criminal implements. Another Enugu-based member provides intelligence that enables the gang to evade security surveillance and identify suitable targets and locations," the CP explained.
The breakthrough in the case came after the August 2 kidnapping raid on St. Joseph's Catholic Church in Inoyi, Affa community, Udi Local Government Area. Giwa said two of the suspects involved in that attack fled to Port Harcourt following operational pressure from joint security operatives. However, the command's Anti-Kidnapping Violent Crime Response Unit (AK-VCRU) traced and arrested them. Preliminary investigations revealed that after fleeing Enugu, the suspects regrouped with their associates in Port Harcourt and abducted another victim, who was released after a ransom of N5 million was paid.
Giwa detailed the chilling scale of the syndicate's operations. The suspects confessed to involvement in several kidnapping incidents along the Enugu–Ugwuogo–Opi–Nsukka Road, Obioma–9th Mile–Umulumgbe–Okpatu Road, Eke–Affa–Egede–Ezinze axis, and various locations in Ezeagu Local Government Area. They were linked to the abduction of a male victim at Mgbabuowa/Aguobuowa, Ezeagu LGA, on May 25, 2026, for which N5.5 million was obtained as ransom. They were also linked to the abduction of two male victims and the shooting and murder of a female victim at Obioma, Udi LGA, on May 9, 2026, during which the gang obtained $28,700 as ransom. Furthermore, the suspects were linked to the abduction of two male victims along the Eke–Ezinze Road, Udi LGA, on April 10, 2026, for which $70,000 was obtained as ransom, and the kidnapping of seven victims at Obinaofia, Ezeagu LGA, on April 12, 2026, during which N25 million was obtained as ransom. The total ransom collected from these operations amounted to over N30.5 million and $98,700.
The CP also revealed that the suspects laundered and concealed the proceeds of their criminal activities through investments in livestock and properties, lavish spending, and leisure trips to foreign nations such as Cameroon. The recovered exhibits include five AK-47 rifles, two pump-action guns, one locally fabricated firearm, 310 rounds of live 7.62 x 39mm ammunition, eight cartridges, and seven empty AK-47 magazines.
Giwa attributed the success to sustained intelligence gathering, ICT-enabled investigation, inter-agency collaboration, inter-state cooperation, and coordinated operational policing. He expressed appreciation to the Inspector-General of Police, IGP Olatunji Rilwan Disu, for his strategic leadership and sustained operational support, and the Executive Governor of Enugu State, Dr Peter Ndubuisi Mbah, for his continued support for security operations. He further appreciated other security agencies for their collaboration and members of the public for their cooperation and provision of useful information.
The Commissioner stressed that sustained public support and timely information remain critical to effective intelligence-led policing and the disruption of criminal networks. He therefore urged residents to remain vigilant and promptly report suspicious persons, movements and activities through established police channels. "We will continue to make Enugu State increasingly unconducive to unrepentant local criminals, criminal elements seeking to infiltrate the State, and their activities," Giwa declared. The suspects will be charged to court upon the conclusion of the investigation.
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